Tool sharpening machine



Nov. 17, 1953 A. T. MEAD ET AL 2,659,184

TOOL SHARPENING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 1 ed a ww (Ittornegj NOV. 17, 1953 MEAD ET AL 2,659,184

TOOL SHARPENING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2.

3tiventor ELAN 4; Air/7r 7: Meao Nov. 17, 1953 A. T. MEAD ETAL 2,659,184

TOOL SHARPENING MACHINE Filed'Feb. 11, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 .Flig. 17

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Patented Nov. 17, 1953 TOOL SHARPENING MACHINE Arthur T. Mead and Ronald E. Mead, Wood River, Nebr.

Application February 11, 1952, Serial N 0. 270,992 3 Claims. (01. 51-33) This invention relates to improvements in sharpening machines. 7

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved sharpening machine particularly well adapted for the sharpening of sickle blades of mowing machines; the same including means for the simultaneous sharpening of a plurality of blades.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved machinefor the grinding and sharpening of sickle blades wherein the grinding stone has a compound movement for the efficient uniform bevel sharpening of such blades as sickle bars of mowing machines; the sharpening stone being so efficiently mounted as to require little manual effort and skill upon the part of the operator to effect the blade sharpening.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved frame structure for the mounting of sickle blade Sharpeners.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved grinding machine, including a plurality of sharpening wheels, each of which is adapted to sharpen the opposed facing edges of sickle blades, whereby a plurality of sickle blades may be simultaneously sharpened; the grinding wheels being so mounted as to provide for efiicient relative adjustment towards and away from each other and for movement away from and along the edges of the blades to be sharpened.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved sickle blade sharpening machine.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the right end of a sickle bar supporting member.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the improved machine showing the details thereof in rest position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, showing an operator sharpening a blade of a sickle.

The dotted lines show a lifted adjustment position of the sharpening blade with respect to the sickle bar.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the sharpening stone or wheel arrangement and means for driving the same.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the motor and its mounting structure.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken thru the motor countershaft drive structure for the grinding wheels, the View being taken substantially on the line 65 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 'I---! of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 88 of Figure 4, and showing the support mounting for one of the grinding wheels.

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 9-9 of Figure 4, showing a belt tightener construction.

Figure 10 is a transverse cross sectional view thru the frame structure of the machine, taken substantially on the line llllll of Figure 1.

Figure 11 is a transverse cross sectional view thru the frame structure of the machine, taken substantially on the line ll-ll of Figure 1.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary plan view showing the supporting arrangement for a sickle bar as a part of the frame structure of the machine.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary plan view of another portion of the sickle bar supporting means.

Figure 14 is a transverse cross sectional view taken substantially on the line I4--l4 of Figure 12.

Figure 15 is a transverse cross sectional view taken substantially on the line l5l5 of Figure 1.

Figure 16 is a bottom plan view showing a sickle positioned upon the supporting frame of machine immediately below the grinding stones.

Figure 17 is a view showing the detached relation of the various parts of the frame structure of the machine.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved machine for the sharpening of sickle bars B. It preferably consists of a frame structure C for supporting the sharpening mechanism D.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that sickle bars for mowing machines are long and rather unwieldly. The blades are tapered at the opposite edges thereof. The sickle bar 13 preferably comprises an elongated supporting bar body 20 having the blades 2 l secured thereto, as by riveting at 22. The blades are pointed and have opposite diagonally disposed edges 23, as shown in Figure 13.

The framework structure C is adaptable for 3 supporting the sharpening mechanism D as well as the sickle bar B in order that very little effort is required upon the part of the operator to manually control the machine for sharpening purposes.

The frame structure C comprises a tripod arrangement including a rear substantially vertically disposed supporting leg and the diagonal downwardly divergent front supporting legs 26 and 21. These legs are all of angled cross section, and preferably they are of steel. The arrangement in which they are connected is such as to enable them to be compactly folded for shipping and storage purposes. To that end, as shown in Figure 11 of the drawings, the flange portions 29 and 30 of the vertical leg 25 have a flange 3| and 32 of each of the legs 26 and 21 pivotally secured to the outer surfaces thereof near the tops of the legs 25, 25 and 27, as by pivot bolt structures 33. This enables the angled cross sectioned legs to be vertically collapsed together into substantial parallelism.

Below the pivot top connection of these legs are disposed diagonal brace rods 35 and 36 respectively detachably connected at 31 and 38 to the lower portions of the flanges of the leg 25, as is shown in Figure 1. From this location the rods 35 and 38 extend forwardly and upwardly and at their upper ends they are detachably connected at 39 and 49 to the legs 26 and 23 respectively. This provides an efiicient brace structure for supporting the legs in tripod fashion. The brace .rods 35 and 36 at their ends are right angled to effect such connections, and cotter pins detachably hold these ends in position in the openings of the flanges of the legs 25, 28 and 21, as shown in the drawings.

Connected as part of the frame structure 0, but intended to support the grinding and operating mechanism D there are provided supporting arms 4| and 42 upon the forward flanges of the angle pieces 26 and 21, as shown in Figures 1 and 10 of the drawing, having forwardly turned parallel ends M and 42 which are apertured for receiving the ends of a spreader bar 63. The latter is detachable and provided with stop flanges 11MLL thereon which holds the ends 4| and 42 properly spaced for the support of the mechanism D. These ends M and #2 are further apertured as shown in Figure 10 for the detachable connection of the hooked ends of supporting links 44 and 65. To support the sickle bar a shelf or table 58 is provided. It is of angle cross section, as shown in Figure 14, including a top flange 5i and a rear depending flange 52*. They are slightly out of horizontal and vertical respectively and in spaced relation they are provided with welded bracket extensions 52 properly angled with respect thereto for detachable connection by bolts 53 to the inner and forward flanges of the legs 26 and '21, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. This arrangement not only aids in bracing the front legs of the tripod type frame, but also very stably supports the angle type table or shelf for the sickle bar B. Suitable means is preferably provided upon the sickle bar supporting member 59 for holding the sickle bar at the properly inclined position, and for lateral sliding of the bar along the same in order that the blades may be successively laterally moved into grinding relation with the wheel structure of the sharpening mechanism D. 'Such means comprises guide pieces 55 welded to the top surface of the top flange ends of the supporting bars M and -45.

of the sickle bar supporting member 58, and prd jecting upwardly therefrom, as shown in Figures l and I! of the drawings; the same presenting forwardly convex surfaces to assist in sliding of the bar B along the supporting table or member 50. Along the front margin of the member 58, the same is also provided with guide pieces 56 at the ends thereof and at intervals along the same, projecting upwardly above the top surface of the table '55, and in the space between the rear surface of these guide pieces 56 and the forwardly facing convex surfaces of the guide pieces 55 is adapted to be socketed the body portion 29 of the sickle bar as shown in Figure 14. In this connection it is to be noted that the guide members 58 project upwardly above the top surface of the table flange 5| for a greater distance than the height of the guide pieces 55, and inasmuch as the blades project forwardly and rearwardly of the sickle bar body 2! the same will rest upon these top edges of the guide pieces and hold'the sickle bar at an acute angle cfi horizontal, with the blades projecting forwardly and uppermost (see Fig. i l). Additional members 60, eachcomprising a handle like structure, are Welded to the front flange of the sickle bar supporting body 50, and they are angled upwardly and their upper ends are so located that the blades of the sickle bar rest directly thereon for further support of the sickle bar and the blades thereof at each outer side of a sharpening wheel, as is well shown in the drawings. To hold the sickle bar upon the supporting table 59., we prefer to provide :a hook-shaped member 61 welded upon the bar at a location immediately between the sickle bar supporting portion (it which includes an overhanging hook under which the sickle bar is disposed to prevent bodily upward movement of "the sickle bar. The vertical portion of this hook holds the sickle bar against rearward movement as an incident of pressure contact of the sharpening stones with the blades, since tendency of the wheels would be to move the bar in a rearward direction.

Referring to the sharpening mechanism D, the same has been provided for the purpose of movement of a plurality of sharpening wheels or stones with but little manual efiort and without a great deal of skill to perfect a uniform and efficient sharpening action and bevelling of the blades of the sick-lebar. It comprises a frame structure E, the parts of which are rigidly connected together for supporting the motor F; mounting the structure upon the depending supporting bars 84 and 45, and for additionally rotatably supporting the various shafts, pulley wheels, handles and grinding wheels in an ar rangement to be subsequently described.

The frame structure E preferably comprises a motor supporting platform 10, best shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings and comprising a pair of flat plates or strips Ti and 12 which at their rear ends are fixedly connected upon the upper flange of a cross angle piece 13 as by welding. These platform body strips H and 12 lie in the same plane but are relatively spaced from each other; the slot or spacing "l4 therebetween serving to receive "a detachable bolt construction 15. This bolt construction T5 is mounted upon a swing seat type of supporting bar 16 centrally thereof and upon 'a fixed axis. The supporting bar 76 at its ends is connected to turnbuckle members H and 1 8 which at their opposite ends are connected to the lower hooked "Ihe turnbuckles 11 and 18 are of the usual construction, and may be elongated or shortened independently of each other between their end connections with the supporting bar ormem'ber 16 and the supporting and connecting rods 44 and 45, for the purpose of properly positioning details of the sharpening mechanism to be subsequently mentioned. The bolt construction 15 has an upwardly facing nut to enable release of a clamping effect upon the plates 1| and 12, and the bolt construction may be slid fore and aft along the slot 14 for reasons to be subsequently described.

The motor F is detachably mounted upon the platform structure 10, on the top thereof. It has a driving wheel 80 of the pulley type.

The frame structure E above mentioned furthermore includes a depending tubular standard 8I welded at its upper end to the platform angle piece 13 as shown at 82 in Figure 1. The lower end of this standard 8| is provided with a horizontally disposed tubular frame piece 83 Welded thereto and best shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. The tubular frame piece 83 is adapted to receive the countershafting by means of which the grinding stones or wheels are driven from the motor. The shafting supported by this tube 83 preferably comprises a motor driven shaft 84 rotatably mounted in the internally babbitted passageways of sleeves 85 and 8B which are rotatably mounted co-axially within the frame tube 83. The sleeves 85 and 85 are independently pivoted in this frame tube 83 and themselves comprise part of a frame structure which has a pivoting movement in the tube 83 for the purpose of lifting and lowering the grinding wheels. The shaft 84 at one end is provided with a keyed pulley wheel 99 adapted to receive a belt 9I trained thereover; the belt being trained over the motor pulley wheel 88 to cause rotation of the shaft 84. In addition to the pulley whee1 90, there is also disposed on the shaft 84 a belt receiving pulley wheel 92 for driving one of the grinding Wheels or stones, and the shaft 84 at its opposite end is provided with another similar pulley wheel 93 for driving the other grinding wheel or stone.

The outer end of the sleeve 85 is provided with a forwardly extending supporting arm 95 welded thereto, at 96 as shown in Figure 4. This arm 95 may be tubular in nature and at its forward end it supports a horizontally disposed bearing tube 96 for receiving a shaft of one of the grinding wheels.

grinding whee1 supporting arm 91, which similar to the arm 95 extends forwardly and preferably divergent with respect to the arm 95. In contradistinction to the latter, the arm 91 is pivoted on an upright pivot, to the sleeve 86, to enable a slight lateral movement thereof in order to relatively move the grinding wheels laterally towards and away from each other for purposes to be subsequently mentioned. This connection comprises upper and lower plate portions 91 and 91 shown in Figure 8, welded thereto, spaced to receive the outer end of the sleeve 86 therebetween. The sleeve 86 at this location between said plates is provided with a welded upright sleeve portion 99 defining a passageway for receiving a pivot pin or bolt I00; the latter connecting said plates for the lateral pivotal action of arm 91 above mentioned. Since the sleeves 85 and 86 are movable in a rotary direction with respect to each other it is perfectly obvious that At its outer end the other sleeve 86. is provided with a connection for the other 6 l the arm 91 may be lifted with respect to the other arm 95, as shown in the dotted line position in Figure 3, and the same of course is true of the stone supported by the arm 95, since it can be lifted and lowered relative to the stone or grinding Wheel supported by the arm 91. The lateral pivotal movement of the arm 91 upon the pivot pin or bolt I09 is rather limited, and the arc of such movement is controlled by the space between the extreme end of the arm 91 and the outer surfaces of the sleeve 86 as indicated at I02 in Figure 8 of the drawings.

Since the arms and 91 are mounted for pivotal movement upon the shaft 84, some means must be provided for supporting them in a position below which they will not drop, and in which position the grinding wheels can be controlled for sharpening of the sickle bar blades. This supporting means preferably consists of a pair of forwardly and laterally extending supporting pieces I95 and I09, best shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, which are welded at I81 to and as part of the sleeve shaft supporting tube 83; the ends lying below the arms 95 and 91 for supporting the same, as shown in Figure 1.

The sharpening stones or wheels H0 and III are conventional in shape each including bevelled sharpening surfaces in order that adjacent edges of two blades of the sickle bar may be sharpened at the same time. The medial vertical plane at the juncture of these bevelled sharpening edges, designated at I I2, in Figure 7 bears an important relation to positioning with respect to the blades of the sickle bar.

Each wheel III and III is preferably provided with a shaft I I3, connected for rotation with the same by means of a nut I I5 having a right hand threaded connection or a left hand threaded connection, obviously to prevent loosening during rotation of the grinding wheel. At the outer ends the shafts H3 are provided with pulley Wheels H4. The shafts I I3 are supported in the bearing sleeves '98 at the forward ends of the arms 95 and 91, for rotation therein. The shafts I I3 are provided with cotter pins II 6 to permit their removal from the sleeves 96. The stones III! and II I are fixedly clamped upon the shafts I I3 for rotation therewith in clamped abutment against pulley wheels I I4, by the nuts II5. This positions the grinding or sharpening wheels III] and I I I in relatively spaced relation as shown in the drawings.

A driving belt I20 is trained over the wheel 92 of the shaft 84 and about the pulley II4 of the sharpening wheel III]. In similar manner a belt I2I is trained over the pulley I I4 of the grinding wheel III and trained over the pulley wheel 93 of the shaft 84. Both of these belts I20 and I2I are provided with belt tightening means comprising inverted U-shaped guide pieces I25 welded to the arms 95 and 91, in about the position shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. These guide pieces I25 rotatably support idler pulley wheels I26, upon detachable shafts or pins I21, as shown in Figure 9, and the belts I29 and I2I are trained thereover in a manner to enable the tightening of said belts.

Forwardly extending from the arms 95 and 91 are provided handle extensions 95 and 91 of rod like formation; the forward ends of which are out turned and down turned and have handles 95 and 91 connected therewith, as shown in the drawings.

The sharpening mechanism D will be supported at rest in the position shown in Figure 2.

7 The balancing is of such nature that abut slight downward pressure upon :the handles T9 5 and 9.1 is necessary in order to move the wheels H19 and SM :dow-nwardly into sharpening engagement with the blades of the bar supported upon the member 50. The pivotal down movement of the entire sharpening mechanism -D lies at the points of connection of the turn-buckles I7 and 38 with the ends of the platform supporting bar 7-5; the arc of movement in depressing the wheels hring them downwardly and to the rear for properly positioning with respect to theibla-desof the sickle bar. Forward and rearward movement of the sharpening wheels 1110 and IN, icy the operator, will automatically sharpen a bevelled edge :on each of four different blades at one time. ilihe relative spacing with respect to the blades :is shown in :Figure :16. The sickle bar :B may be readily slid longitudinally of the supporting member '50 due to the fact that the sickle bar well guided for such sliding 'action.

The sharpening wheels 1H! and Hi can :be moved :towards and away from each other 'laterally, vas :shown in Figure 4, -to compensate for blade spacing due to ,wear upon the teeth, and the blade spacing of various makesiof sickle bars. The equalizing bar 16 plays a very important part in .proper positioning of the sharpening equipment. It can bezmoved forwardly and-rearwardly upon :the platform structure :18 as-above described Iforrthe purpose of adjusting the foal-- anceof'theimac'hineand in order that the sharpening wheels will be at the right height above the sickle bar blades, It is noted that the equalizing and aligning bar [6 has a definite pivot axisconnection relative to the platform so far as lateral movement thereon is concerned, although loosening of the :bolt will enable the equalizing bar to be swung at either of its ends forwardly or rearwardly for the purpose of moving the sharpening wheels or stones 'HB and Hi to the right 'or left for correct centering. The sharpening wheels must touch the sickle blades simultaneous so'that'the above adjustmentsare necessary'and'very important as are also the adjustment of the turnbuckles. The liftingaction of one sharpening wheel arm with respect to the other-is only done when the sickle blades are-bent orout of place. The two arms 95 and 91-may be moved laterally relative to each other, as

shown in-Figure 4, to compensate for eccentric or other type spacing ,of the blades.

The frame structure'C-of this invention is not entirely necessary for thesupport of thes'harpening equipment D sinee thefllatter couldbe-suspended from an overhead support, and the sickle bar could rest-upon aponventionaltable or other foundation support.

From the foregoing it can readily "be understood that-an improved blade sharpening. mechanism for sicklebarshas been provided which will enable a relatively unskilled operator to accurately and uniformly sharpen :the blades of a 's'ickle 'bar with little manual efiort.

Various'changes inthe shape, size and arrangement of 'pa-rts'maybe madeito'the form ofrinven- 8 tion herei shown a d des ri ed t out depa tins fr m th spi t of the i v nt n o scone o the c eans.

We claim:

,1. In a sickle sharpening m chani m the combinati n of a fr m incl e a p t rm, a motor mounted upon the platform, a shaft ,rotataply supported upon said frame in parallelism with the axis of the motor, means connecting said motor for the rotation of said shaft, rotatable sharpening wheels, supporting arms :rotatably supporting said wheels, means independently mounting said arms upon said shaft for independent pivotal 'liftingand lowering action of the wheels relative to said shaft, means for laterally moving one of said wheels and its arm with respect :to the other wheel, and means connecting said wheels withsaid shaft for the simultaneous drive of said wheels.

2. In a sickle sharpening mechanism the combinationof a frame including a platform, a-motor mounted upon the platform, a shaft rotatably supported upon said frame in parallelism with the axis of the motor, means connecting said motor for the rotation of said shaft, rotatable sharpening wheels, supporting arms rotatahly supporting said wheels, means independently mounting said arms upon said shaft 'for independent pivotal lifting and lowering movements of the wheels relative to said shaft, means for laterally moving'one of said arms and its wheel with respect to the other wheel, means connecting said wheels with said shaft for -the simulta neous drive of said wheels, a supporting structure, and means for the overhead suspending swinging movement of said platform and frame for fore and aft movement upon-said supporting structure.

3. A frame for the support of sickle barsha-rpening mechanism comprising a substantially-vertically disposedrear leg, substantially diagonally disposed front legs pivotally connected to the HD1181 end of said rear leg, 2. sickle bar supporting table horizontally supported by said diagonally disposed front legs, a guide means on said. table for the lateral sliding support of a sickle bar thereon, a pair of diagonal bars each connected-to the lowerend of said rear leg and extending forwardlyand divergent with respect to each other and having connection-with the front legs intermediate the ends of said front legs.

ARTHUR T. RONALD E.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 677,127 Gilson June 25, 1901 11,943,529 'Hirth Jan. 16,1934 2518.8;616 Waddill Jan. 30,1940 2,458,827 Greeley Dec. 21,1948 3,486,119 Cofieen Oct. 25,:l949 22,582,607 gRinne Jan-15,1952 2;583',758 'Webber Jan. 29, 1952 

